BAHAWALPUR, March 19: The canal system in the Punjab will be remodelled at a cost of Rs31 billion provided by the federal government.

This was stated by provincial Irrigation Minister Amir Sultan Cheema while peaking at an open kutchery at Lal Sohanra, about 40 kilometres from here.

Mr Cheema said the government was introducing “panchayat” system to ensure equal distribution of canal water.

It was also setting up complaint cells to resolve farmers problems, he added.

He said the chief minister has approved a proposal that the Bahawalpur zone irrigation chief engineers should be the incharge of water supply control system at Mailsi-Siphon Link instead of Multan zone’s chief engineer.

CONVICT DIES: A convict died after brief illness in the Bahawal Victoria Hospital here on Wednesday.

Ghulam Husain, 40, a resident of Bahawalnagar, was convicted of killing a man of a rival sect last year. He was sentenced to 25 years’ hard jail by an anti-terrorism court. He was lodged in the Central Jail, Bahawalpur, where he fell ill. He was admitted to the hospital on the court’s directive.

According to the jail superintend, Ghulam Husain was a TB and cancer patient. He was running high temperature and admitted to the hospital.

His body will be handed over to the family after the judicial inquiry ordered by the district and sessions judge.

Meanwhile, police sources told Dawn that Ghulam Husain was also involved in about 11 murders and several dacoities.

PROTEST: A delegation of motorcycle-rickshaw owners met the traffic police SP on Wednesday and protested against the traffic police attitude.

Later, they said ‘unjustified’ police action coupled with petrol price hike had made their lives miserable. They alleged that traffic police harass them to extort money. They appealed to the SP to take stock of the situation and redress their grievances.